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The Freedom Principle Opening Day

About

The MCA celebrated the opening of The Freedom Principle in a way that we thought would honor the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians' (AACM) spirit of collectivity and experimentation: with a day of free admission for Illinois residents and free musical performances showcasing the AACM's legacy. We were thrilled that almost 2,000 visitors packed the museum, and we've gathered some of our highlights from the opening day events in a roughly chronological order.

Images

Museum visitors gather to watch Natural Information Society play

© MCA Chicago

Visitors look at Lili Reynaud-Dewars's installation

© MCA Chicago

A look over Kouri's shoulder at what he's creating during the performance. Keep following MCA DNA to see these drawings

© MCA Chicago

Cocurator of The Freedom Principle Dieter Roelstraete converses with artist and musician Lisa Alvarado whose work acts as a backdrop for the day and is also on display in the exhibition

© MCA Chicago

Visitors look at Lili Reynaud-Dewars's installation

© MCA Chicago

An array of artworks by Muhal Richard Abrams captures visitors' attention

© MCA Chicago

Visitors watched performances and galleries were full right up to closing time at 7 pm

© MCA Chicago

Museum visitors gather to watch Natural Information Society play

© MCA Chicago

Later in the afternoon, cellist and composer Tomeka Reid and double bassist Silvia Bolognes performed music based on two graphic scores by artist Anthony Braxton. At far left Chad Kouri contemplates a new kind of surface to work on

© MCA Chicago

As Tomeka Reid and Silvia Bolognes make music based on art, Chad Kouri translates the music back into a new artwork, drawing in washable ink on our windows as the musicians play

© MCA Chicago

A close-up of artist Chad Kouri at work

© MCA Chicago

Another performance view of cellist and composer Tomeka Reid and double bassist Silvia Bolognes

© MCA Chicago

Museum visitors gather to watch Natural Information Society play

© MCA Chicago

As rain started to fall outside, Mike Reed's People, Places & Things closed out the day inside

© MCA Chicago

Visitors watched performances and galleries were full right up to closing time at 7 pm

© MCA Chicago
The Freedom Principle Opening Day video still

Video